At SSM, sustainability and respect for people is fundamental to how we create healthy, happy environments. We design buildings to nurture wellbeing and safeguard the environment through energy efficiency, sustainable materials and modern methods of construction. We are committed to enhancing people’s lives by designing great places. This includes the design of buildings and places which are energy efficient, comfortable, safe, healthy and enjoyable places to live, work and play.
We value and invest in our staff and are guided by sustainable best practice in the operation of our business. To help us to meet this aim, and as part of our active response to the climate and bio-diversity emergency, we have been making the most of some recent training opportunities to expand our expertise in low carbon and Passive House design.
Ben Rainger, Jarek Gasiorek, Shauna Grant and Ruth McLennan have all completed the course ‘An Introduction to Zero Carbon Buildings’ with the University of the West of England. Ben, Jarek and Claire Cockburn have also all successfully completed the Passive House Institute’s ‘Passive House Fundamentals’ course. In addition, Jarek is currently undertaking training to become a certified Passive House Designer.
Externally, we have also been making the most of a wide range of online webinars currently available from providers such as AECB, the MPA Concrete Centre and the Green Building Store, covering topics including MVHR, building components, airtightness and design for retrofit. Whilst internally, our Sustainability Group is expanding our knowledge base, revising internal policy and developing strategies to support our team working towards a zero-carbon office in terms of design output and operation. As an example, we just recently became Fairtrade in the Workplace certified. Our next step is obtaining Green Mark certification, watch this space!
The knowledge we are continually developing inform and support our designs as we respond to the climate emergency and the move to a net zero future. Our sustainability expertise is currently being utilised in Passive House and net zero carbon projects for Midlothian and City of Edinburgh Councils to help them meet their net zero 2030 aspirations.
If you have a project in mind, please get in touch and we would be delighted to discuss how our expertise could be of benefit to you.
